Homes and other buildings frequently have a bulkhead for providing access to the cellar, or basement, of the building from its exterior. The bulkhead is usually in the form of a concrete stairway which leads to an opening in the building foundation. A bulkhead door assembly is mounted to the top of the bulkhead. The door assembly typically has the form of a sloping enclosure and one or two doors for providing access to the bulkhead.
The bulkhead door assembly performs several functions. It encloses the bulkhead entrance and provides protection against inclement weather. The doors can usually be locked in their closed positions to prevent unauthorized entry. The bulkhead door assembly should provide relatively unhindered access to the stairway when the doors are in their open positions. Finally, the bulkhead door assembly should be reasonably attractive.
Prior art bulkhead door assemblies have been fabricated of wood or steel. The wood door assemblies rot, and the steel door assemblies rust. The rotting or rusting is accelerated when the door assembly is in a shaded or damp location. The deterioration of the door assembly causes several problems. The door assemblies become unsightly and may leak, thus permitting water to enter the basement during rainstorms and other inclement weather. Eventually, the building owner is subjected to the inconvenience and expense of replacing the bulkhead door assembly.
It is desirable to provide a bulkhead door assembly which overcomes the above problems and disadvantages. The bulkhead door assembly should withstand severe weather conditions over prolonged periods without deterioration, should have an attractive appearance, and should be relatively light in weight and low in cost.